WHAT MAKES ME UNIQUe


Choosing the Right Photographer for You

Finding the right photographer is crucial for capturing meaningful moments that align with your vision and style. A comfortable rapport ensures relaxed shoots and authentic photos. Their expertise handles technical challenges creatively, documenting your family's story. Personal connection fosters trust, genuine interactions, and the preservation of precious memories. Choosing wisely establishes a lasting relationship, ensuring consistent quality across all milestones, from maternity to family portraits and beyond.


There are so many photographers!

So, by now, you’ve probably noticed that everyone seems to be a photographer. This is great for you as it gives you more options but with so many options out there it can be quite overwhelming to choose the right fit for your family’s needs. That’s where my extensive experience and dedication come into play and is one of the main reasons for offering a complementary initial consultation. Before we begin, it’s essential to me that we explore together whether I'm well-suited to capture your family’s unique story and to help assist you accordingly!

Building A connection


As a father to two beautiful little girls, I understand firsthand the importance of capturing those fleeting moments with your family. It's not just about hiring a photographer; it's about finding someone you can connect with, who understands your family dynamics, and who can bring out the best in everyone. Building a rapport with your photographer ensures a comfortable and relaxed environment, where genuine emotions and interactions can shine through in your photos. This connection is crucial for creating images that truly reflect your family's personality and tell your unique story.


With over a decade of full-time experience in photography, you can trust that you’ll receive more than just high-quality results that far exceed your expectations. My stability and consistency are a testament to my dedication and reliability. Whether you need family portraits, maternity shoots, newborn photos, or more, I have worked hard to build the skills and expertise required to bring your vision to life.

WHAT SETS ME APART

Over a Decade of Experience



With more than a decade as a full-time photographer and having started working for award-winning studios and experienced professionals in an industry where 85% of businesses fail within three years, my extensive background and track record ensure that I will be there to capture your moments perfectly. My longevity in this challenging field reflects my stability, consistent quality, and the trust you can place in me to be there, especially considering many photography businesses have had to sadly close down without warning in recent years due to the economic climate.

Full-Time Dedication


The nature of this business means that many photographers are amateurs, hobbyists and/or have to juggle other jobs and responsibilities. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, and this is how I started as well. But thankfully, I'm blessed to be a full-time photographer for over the last decade, and that means your photography journey is my main focus, ensuring you receive my full attention and priority that you deserve.

Personalized Commitment


Since I'm not a large studio with multiple levels of employees and personnel, I offer a direct, personalized photography approach. From our initial meeting to consultation, capturing your moments, and final delivery, I'm dedicated solely to you. This ensures you receive the attention you deserve without any added hassle, miscommunication, extra costs, or loss of focus. All photos you see are captured by me, eliminating any concerns about inconsistency from staff turnover. You'll experience a streamlined and seamless photography journey with direct communication and personalized service at every step.

Personalized Service

Personalized Experience


I’m committed to providing a personalized experience that meets your unique needs and preferences. I take the time to get to know you and understand your vision, ensuring your images truly reflect your family's personality and style. Your family's story is unique, and I strive to capture the essence of your special moments.

Comfort and Direction


I know being in front of a professional photographer for the first time can be intimidating. I’ll guide you through the process, making you feel comfortable, confident, and authentic while helping you look your best in every shot. As a parent, I know how to connect with kids and make the experience enjoyable for the entire family.

Cultural Expertise


With extensive experience in photographing families from various cultures (Indian/Pakistani/Desi, Arab, Somali, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Hmong, Nigerian, Senegalese, Kenyan, and more!) and capturing cultural traditions, I understand the nuances and importance of these unique and beautiful moments. Your cultural heritage will be artfully and authentically depicted in your photos, and I delight in incorporating ideas from diverse cultures to offer you a wide array of options and inspirations!

Memorable Experience


Above all, I strive to create a memorable experience for your family. From the initial consultation to the final delivery of images, I ensure that every step of our photography journey together is enjoyable and stress-free.

Reliability and Quality

Managing Large Groups


I come from a family with many members, and I also shoot cultural weddings with huge families, reunions, and parties, so I understand how coordinating large family gatherings for photos can be challenging. With my experience in organizing and directing group shots efficiently, I ensure everyone feels included and comfortable, while maintaining control of the situation.

Full-Service Studio


Beyond capturing stunning images, I offer prints, albums, and wall art, all designed to bring your images to life as you see fit. You’ll have a range of options to display your beautiful memories. Imagine walking into your living room and seeing your family’s joy immortalized in a beautiful canvas print.

Constantly Improving


I stay up-to-date with the latest techniques and trends in photography. Using state-of-the-art equipment (with backups!) and advanced editing software, your images will be of the highest quality. Your memories deserve nothing less than the best.

Caring Approach

Genuine Care


Most importantly, I truly care about you, the images I create for you, and the overall experience you receive. Photography is not just about taking pictures; it’s about capturing the essence of a moment and telling a story that you’ll treasure for years to come. It's about the human connection at the end of the day. It's about what makes you unique and different. As a dad, I understand the joy, chaos, and beauty of family life, and I aim to capture that in every session.

Family Legacy


Coming from a family of photographers, I value the importance of preserving family memories. Having many photos of my own family members from when they were younger has enriched our lives by allowing us to relive special moments and see how we've grown over the years. This personal experience drives my commitment to capturing timeless memories for your family to cherish.

Patience with Children


Photographing families, especially those with young children, requires patience and understanding. I ensure a relaxed atmosphere where kids can be themselves, capturing genuine expressions and moments without stress.

Client Focused approach

Flexibility in Scheduling


Family schedules can be unpredictable. I offer flexible scheduling options to accommodate your family's busy life, ensuring that our sessions are convenient and stress-free. Since I’m also a full-time photographer, this means I can adjust my availability to include weekdays, reducing the competition for weekend spots and minimizing distractions during your session.




Choosing the Right Location


Selecting a location for family photos can be daunting. I provide guidance and suggestions based on your preferences, ensuring the backdrop complements your family's style and personality.

Capturing Authentic Moments


Families want photos that reflect their true personalities and relationships, not just posed shots. I specialize in capturing candid moments that tell your unique story, ensuring authenticity in every image.

Ensuring Safety and Comfort


Your family's safety and comfort during sessions are my top priorities. I create a relaxed environment where everyone feels at ease, allowing natural interactions and emotions to shine through in your photos.

tranparency & commitment

Quick Turnaround Time


Waiting too long for edited photos can be frustrating. I guarantee a timely turnaround, delivering beautifully edited images promptly so you can enjoy and share your memories without delay.





Investment


Hidden costs and unexpected fees can be a concern. I provide clear pricing upfront and am transparent about what's included in each package, ensuring you know exactly what to expect.

Long-Term Relationship


Finding a photographer you can trust for multiple milestones is important. I aim to build a lasting relationship with your family, capturing your journey from maternity to newborn, family portraits, and beyond.

Addressing Your Concerns


By now, you have probably realized that not all photographers are the same. Finding the right photographer involves more than just capturing images. It's about finding someone who understands your family dynamics, patiently works with your little ones, and creates a relaxed environment where everyone feels comfortable. I ensure a stress-free experience, flexible scheduling, and quick turnaround times so you can enjoy your memories without delay. Transparency in pricing and a commitment to building a long-term relationship with your family ensure that you'll always have a trusted photographer to capture your milestones.


So, if what I have mentioned fits what you need in a photographer, partner, and professional who is skilled, dedicated, and passionate about their craft, I’m here for you. Contact me today to learn more about my services and how I can help you bring your vision to life! Let’s create memories your family will cherish forever.y will cherish forever.


Want to know more about me?

My Style


My focus is to capture your special day in a way that is true to your unique story. I prioritize real, authentic moments and use lighting and simple direction to create beautiful imagery while keeping you at ease.


My editing style is classic and timeless. I would describe it as Neutral skin tones, with a hint of warmth, crisp whites and deep blacks, high contrast & vibrant colors that are bold and true to life.


I do love taking cadids, but I also feel there is a place for posed portraits and I want my couples to have both.


For those more techically suited,

I love to use zooms, primes and macor lenses. I have a pletura of gear as artistic goals but also as redudncies. I love to be creative and having a varity of gear to use give me a chance to really show case what I can offer.

My Personality


I take great pleasure in providing assistance and guidance in planning not only your wedding day but also the photography portion of your event. It's one of my favorite things to do with couples because it allows me to create a custom wedding photography experience that is tailored specifically to your needs and priorities.


Being an extrovert, I enjoy directing and guiding my couples and helping them with planning, posing and creating moments, rather than simply instructing them to stand and smile for the camera. I am always happy to address any questions or concerns they may have, including the age-old query, "What do I do with my hands?" Additionally, I take great pleasure in helping to organize and pose families for group portraits, and advising on technical aspects such as the best locations for the first look, couples' photos, cake cutting, and first dances, if necessary.


I usually tell couples that I will guide them on where to stand, find the best lighting, and arrange a good composition, then provide simple prompts, and it's up to them to bring their chemistry and create that magical spark in front of the camera!

My EXperience


I have had the privilege of collaborating with some highly acclaimed studios such as Studio 220 Photography in the Twin Cities, among others, during my decade-long career as a photographer.

My expertise lies in guiding couples through the process of planning their wedding day, helping them with posing and creating a structure that is tailored to their preferences.


Throughout my career, I have been lucky enough to have captured weddings of all types and styles, ranging from summer, winter, fall, and spring seasons, to various locations such as boats, homes, backyards, farmhouses, beaches, scenic spots on the north shore, as well as indoor and outdoor venues, both bright and moody settings, hotels, destination weddings, and more!


In addition, I have photographed traditional weddings of various cultures, including American, Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Chinese, Neapales, Cambodia, and Nigerian as well as Muslim, Christian, and Jewish weddings. One of my favorite experiences is shooting mixed weddings as it allows me to combine my knowledge and experience from different cultures and provide my couples with the best options to suit their preferences.


Through my extensive experience in various settings, I have been able to refine my skills, develop my unique style, and build my confidence. While I understand that every wedding is unique, my diverse experience has provided me with the ability to offer a better experience for my couples by leveraging the overlapping aspects of different wedding types.

Hear From My Clients

Meghan McAfee & Iain Dove Lempke

“We absolutely loved having Makeen shoot our wedding a few weeks ago! Not only are the photos beautiful, but everyone (family and the wedding party) loved working with him. He makes the whole process really fun and relaxed. I highly recommend Makeen!”

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Let me help you today!

Contact me today!